WCPE
 | |
| Broadcast area | Research Triangle (Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill) |
|---|---|
| Frequency | 89.7 MHz |
| Branding | The Classical Station |
| Programming | |
| Format | Classical |
| Ownership | |
| Owner | Educational Information Corporation |
| History | |
First air date | July 17, 1978 |
| Technical information[1] | |
Licensing authority | FCC |
| Facility ID | 18831 |
| Class | C |
| ERP | 100,000 watts |
| HAAT | 359 meters (1,178 ft) |
Transmitter coordinates | 35°56′25.5″N 78°28′44″W / 35.940417°N 78.47889°W |
| Translator | See § Simulcasts and translators |
| Repeater | See § Simulcasts and translators |
| Links | |
Public license information | |
| Webcast | Listen live |
| Website | www |
WCPE (89.7 FM) is a listener-supported non-commercial radio station licensed to Raleigh, North Carolina. It is the flagship of "The Classical Station," a classical music network owned by the Educational Information Corporation, a nonprofit organization. WCPE's studios and transmitter are off Clark Road in Wake Forest, North Carolina.[2]
WCPE has an effective radiated power (ERP) of 100,000 watts, the maximum for most FM stations.[3] The signal covers the Research Triangle including Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill and a small section of Virginia. WCPE operates three full-power satellite stations in the Outer Banks of Eastern North Carolina, as well as a network of low-powered translators across the state. It can also be heard on cable television systems and around the world via six streaming audio formats on the Internet, including mp3, AAC, Ogg Vorbis, QuickTime, RealAudio, iTunes, and WMA. The station also streams via IPv6.[citation needed]
History
[edit]The station signed on the air on July 17, 1978.[4] It was originally powered at 12,500 watts, a fraction of its current output. WCPE originally played classical music with specialty programs including jazz and other musical genres, community and educational shows. It switched to an all-classical format in 1984. The station's call letters were randomly assigned.[citation needed]
In September 2023, WCPE sent a survey to listeners describing concerns over modern works in the Metropolitan Opera's upcoming season, writing that they were "written in a nonclassical music style, have adult themes and language, and are in English". The survey suggested that WCPE would not air the productions.[5] Three of the works selected for exclusion were by Black or Mexican composers.[6] After much national criticism and accusations of censorship, the station announced that it would broadcast the operas.[6]
Awards
[edit]In November 2002, WCPE and its founder and General Manager, Deborah Proctor were recognized by Senator Jesse Helms of North Carolina for her contribution in the Helms-Leahy Small Webcaster Settlement Act of 2002.[7] This act helped settle a dispute regarding the amount of royalties webcasters must pay in order to perform sound recordings over the Internet bringing stability to the then-emerging webcasting industry.
On Saturday, November 6, 2019, founder and General Manager, Deborah Proctor was recognized by Governor Roy Cooper. Proctor was given North Carolina's highest civilian honor, the North Carolina Award.[8][9] Proctor was recognized for her efforts to promote and help small, independent and public broadcasters remain viable in the era of online broadcasting.
Simulcasts and translators
[edit]| Call sign | Frequency | City of license | State | Facility ID | Class | ERP (W) |
Height (m (ft)) |
Transmitter coordinates |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WZPE | 90.1 FM | Bath | North Carolina | 93744 | A | 4,500 | 39 m (128 ft) | 35°28′32.5″N 76°48′42.7″W / 35.475694°N 76.811861°W |
| WURI | 90.9 FM | Manteo | North Carolina | 91803 | A | 5,200 | 57 m (187 ft) | 35°54′28.6″N 75°40′24.6″W / 35.907944°N 75.673500°W |
WZPE is owned by the Educational Information Corporation, while WURI is owned by the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and leased to WCPE.
In 2016, WCPE's programming in Buxton moved from high-power WBUX (90.5 FM) to W216BE (now W219DW). Both facilities are owned by WUNC, which WBUX now retransmits.
References
[edit]- ^ "Facility Technical Data for WCPE". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
- ^ Radio-Locator.com/WCPE
- ^ FCC.gov/WCPE
- ^ Broadcasting & Cable Yearbook 1982 page C-175. Retreived Oct. 23, 2025.
- ^ Tsioulcas, Anastasia (October 5, 2023). "N.C. radio station reverses decision to withhold broadcast of contemporary Met operas". NPR. Archived from the original on January 5, 2024. Retrieved January 28, 2024.
- ^ a b Abrams, Jonathan; Hernández, Javier C. (October 5, 2023). "North Carolina Radio Station Won't Ban Met Opera Broadcasts After All". The New York Times. Archived from the original on January 8, 2024. Retrieved January 8, 2024.
- ^ "Congressional Record Senate Articles | Congress.gov | Library of Congress".
- ^ "Six to Receive 2019 North Carolina Award, State's Highest Honor | NC DNCR".
- ^ "Six, including Wake Forest woman, receive state's highest honor | Wake Weekly". Archived from the original on August 5, 2020.
External links
[edit]- WCPE website
- Rebroadcast consent letter, retrieved July 2, 2021.
- North Carolina's Classical Station WCPE Bans Met Opera's Six New Works Due to 'Offensive' Content
- Facility details for Facility ID 18831 (WCPE) in the FCC Licensing and Management System
- WCPE in Nielsen Audio's FM station database
| International | |
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| National | |
